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Ex South African President Jacob Zuma Released On Medical Parole

Zuma, 79, was sentenced to a 15-month prison sentence two months ago by the country’s Constitutional Court for contempt after he refused to appear before a judicial commission probing corruption during his nearly decade-long presidency. The former president began his sentence on July 8, before he was admitted to a hospital where he later underwent surgery. Two weeks later, he was allowed to leave prison to attend his brother’s funeral at his Nkandla rural home. “Medical parole placement for Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with a specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires,” the Department of Correctional Services said in a statement late on Sunday. The department said the decision was impelled by a medical report it received. Zuma’s jailing in July led to violent riots in South Africa, killing more than 300 people and witnessing looting and vandalism estimated to cost businesses in the billions of South African rand.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

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